Ebay Mufflers: Yay or Nay?
 

This caught my eye...

At 70 bucks, free shipping and an easy diy installation it's almost too good to be true.

If I put my car into the compatibility drop down menu it says "This part doesn't fit the vehicle you entered." Scroll further down and it says "Fits 92-00 Honda Civic 2DR / 4DR Only." Would it fit my car or not? How would the quality be? Would it really add 10-15 hp? How would it sound? Is it a direct bolt on to the stock system?

Thanks,
Stig

In the picture, the inside of one is already rusting.

Also, says for "offroad/racing use only".

That's a copy of something good. It will sound like a pissed off lawn mower. You don't wanna do that.

Thanks, I guess that's that. I still want a direct bolt on muffler. Any suggestions?

I found these two:
92-00 Honda Civic 2DR/4DR Axle-Back Bolt-on Exhaust Muffler
1992-2000 Honda Civic 2DR/4DR Axle-Back Bolt-on Exhaust with Carbon Tip

Those don't say "for off road and racing use only," and they are stainless steel, so rusting shouldn't be a huge problem.

I wouldn't trust the quality of shifty looking parts like those. Go with a good name brand like Apexi. Many people like the WS2. It sounds good, looks good and isn't too loud despite being a straight-through design. (and yes, it is a straight through design, it just doesn't look like it)

Exhaust is a get what you pay for mod.

You will not gain 10-15 hp. Maybe 1-2 if you replace the entire cat-back. The axle back exhausts you are looking at will only change the sound.

The sound of a good quality muffler will last for a while, if you go cheap, it will start to sound raspy and gross within 9 months.

Does anybody have a link to any good quality direct bolt- on axle back exhausts? I really do not want a universal muffler. I want to be able to do it in my driveway with a jack.

Generally does a cat back come with a new catalytic converter?

The two mufflers that I posted above: Would the quality of the metal be around that of the stock one? ie: would it rust at around the same rate as a stock Honda system? All I really want is to at least match the quality of Honda. A'PEXi is nice, but way too expensive for my budget.

I do not know of any axle back systems. I am sure they are out there though.

The term "cat-back" refers to everything behind the cat converter.

The exhaust might or might not rust, hard to tell. However, cheap ones will sound terrible after awhile IMO.

What makes the sound change after a while? Is it just a matter of getting tired of the sound, or is it literally something in the muffler goes bad and changes the sound?

Fiberglass in the piping burns off, or goes bad, making the exhaust sound raspier

more expensive mufflers often use a metal mesh that helps to hold the fiberglass in. You get what you pay for with mods like this. After I get my wheel situation figured out (should be picking up steelies this weekend) then I plan on buying an entirely new exhaust system. It's gonna be a spendy mod, but if I do it right it should last me nearly the life of the car... or at least as long as Ill have the damn thing.